Formless paper box machine



Nov. 15, 1955 A. s. CHANDLER 2,723,603

FORMLESS PAPER BOX MACHINE Filed March 23 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. AUSTIN 5. CHANDLER PM P2 0 a a M.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1955 A. s. CHANDLER 2,723,503

FORMLESS PAPER BOX MACHINE Filed March 25, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. AUSTIN S. CHANDLER Pea/mm "time ATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1955 A5. CHANDLER 2,723,603

FORMLESS PAPER BOX MACHINE Filed March 25, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.4. 164

INVENTOR.

AUSTIN S. CHANDLE R BY PW Pea/14044 ATTORNEYS 1955 A. s. CHANDLER FORMLESS PAPER BOX MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 23 1951 INVENTOR. AUSTIN 5. CHANDLER Pen/14 M *PAMW ATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1955 A. s. CHANDLER 2,723,603

F ORMLESS PAPER BOX MACHINE Filed March 23, 1951 5 Sheets-*Sheet 5 "PW 'P M 4 4,,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent FORMLESS PAPER BOX MACHINE Austin S. Chandler, Fitchburg, Mesa, assignor to International Paper Box Machine Company, Nashua, N. EL, a corporation of New Hampshire Application March 23, 1951, Serial No. 217,121

16 Claims. (Cl. 93 -52) This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for forming set up boxes from a stack of unitary fiat blanks.

An object of my invention is to provide a more economical machine for setting up such boxes by elimination of the usual forming head, mandrel head or plunger head now used in the paper box industry. A further object of my invention is to provide in such a machine, means for accommodating various sizes of blanks by simple adjustments of the forming channel and suction head thus eliminating the necessity of providing a separate expensive form and separate forming channel parts for each size box. Still another object of my invention is to provide apparatus for automatically Withdrawing the lowermost blank from a stack, setting up a box therefrom and delivering the box to a discharge conveyor all in one straight line, rapidly repeated, operation and with only one moving element, the suction head, thereby improving in speed, efiiciency and ease of operation over previous machines. A further object of my invention is to provide a method of setting up boxes which advances the blank through'the forming channels by an adhering force applied to the under surface thereof, rather than by pressure applied to the upper surface.

Previous machines for setting up boxes from a stack of flat blanks have included machanism for mechanically or pneumatically withdrawing the lowermost blank of a stack moving it opposite a plunger, pushing the plunger and blank through forming channels and discharging the box from the plunger and channels. I am aware that an adhering force, such as that provided by pneumatic suction grips has been used to withdraw the lowermost blank from a stack, to hold a blank on a reciprocating feeding platen, to hold a blank on the plunger head and to remove a box from a plunger head after formation and deliver it to a conveyor. However, I believe I am the first to discover that a stack of blanks and a forming channel can be so combined with a reciprocating suction head that comparatively expensive forms are not necessary and the suction head, in one operation withdraws a blank, sets it up into a box and delivers the box to the conveyor.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my new machine partly in section on line 11 of Fig. 2 with a single blank in the stack.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 partly in section on line 22 of Fig. l. The blank and parts of the chute have been broken away for clarity.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view on line 33 of Fig. 1 with the blank removed and the view slightly enlarged.

Fig. 4 is a plan View in section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a blank with a cover across the entrance of the forming channel in position to be set up into a box therein.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation, in section, on

2,723,503 Patented Nov. 15, 1955 2 7 line 6-6 of Fig. 5, but showing a stack of blanks, without covers, in position.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 5 showing a blank with its end panels and tabs upfolded by the first pair of folding plates.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation, in section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7 of the blank and forming channel as shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 5 showing the blank with one side panel, and its upfolded notched tabs, being upfolded by the first of the second pair of folding plates.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation in section on line 10-16 of Fig. 9 showing the blank and forming channel as shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 5 showing the blank with its other side panel and upfolded notched tabs, being upfolded by the second of the second pair of folding plates.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side elevation in section on line 12-12 of Fig. 11 showing the blank and forming channel as shown in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary plan view, similar to Fig. 5 showing the blank with its notched tabs interengaged by contact with the plows of the first pair of folding plates.

Fig. 14 is a side elevation on line 14--14 of Fig. 13 showing the set up box with its interengaged tabs near the exit of the forming channel and showing its relation to the conveyer.

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14 showing the suction device on its return stroke and showing released set up boxes being positioned on the conveyor by cam pins and having their tabs positively engaged by rollers.

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 14 showing the suction device depositing the set up box on the conveyor at the suction release point and showing the leaf spring.

As best shown in Fig. 5, a typical blank 19, used in my machine has a bottom panel 20, opposite end panels 21 and 22, opposite side panels 23 and 24 and notched tabs 25, 26, 27 and 23 in extension of side panels 23 and 24. The end panels 21 and 22 are separated from the notched tabs 25, 26, 27 and 28 by slits 30, 31, 32 and 33 in a well known manner. Each notched tab is provided with a notch such as 38, 39, 4t), and 41, also in a well known manner, in order that a pair of tabs such as 25 and 27 can be interengaged and interlocked with each other across the end of the box set up from blank 19. Suitable fold or bend lines 34, 35, 36 and 37, preferably formed by creasing, define the various panels and tabs above described and such lines are preferably scored on the underside 43 of blank 19 to facilitate the folding or bending thereof. As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, a blank 19 may have a cover, and cover tabs, such as 29 attached to a side panel such as 23, without interfering with the operation of my machine.

Magazine 0r stack Blank 19 is preferably a fiat unitary substantially rectangular sheet of suitable bendable material, such as paperboard, and it will be obvious that my machine can be fed with one such blank at a time if desired. However, I provide a supply hopper or magazine C, arranged to contain a stack 60 of blanks 19, in order to make my machine fully automatic in operation. Magazine C, is mounted in upward extension of forming channel B, described hereinafter, and both are adjustably supported by a pair of upwardly extending brackets 301 on the main frame 300 of my machine. The brackets 301 are at the front upper end of frame 300 and include a transverse bar 692 and a transverse rod 302 upon which a pair of oppositely disposed, rearwardly extending upright frame pieces 304 and 305 are slidably and adjustably fixed in position by bolts 306 and set screws 307. 304 and 305 are preferably inclined forwardly at an angle to the horizontal in order to provide a permanent forward tilt to the magazine C and thus take advantage of the force of gravity in maintaining the stack of blanks 60 in position. I provide a pair of upstanding blank guides 61 and 62 at the front of my machine and an upstanding blank guide 63 and 64 on each side thereof to position the stack 60 over the forming channel B with the end panels and tabs of the bottom blank of the stack resting on the upper curved shoulders 75, 775 of the first pair of plates of said forming channel as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. Each upstanding guide such as 61, as shown in Fig. 2 is supported at the end of a member 65, provided with a longitudinal slot 66 for a bolt 67 threaded into a frame piece such as 304, and can therefore be pivotally adjusted thereon to accommodate blanks of various sizes.

Forming channel Forming channel B is substantially rectangular in cross section and its inner walls include a first pair of oppositely disposed folding plates 70 and 71 and a second pair of oppositely disposed folding plates 90 and 91, the second pair being transverse to, and below the plane of the curved portion of the first pair.

Folding plates 70 and 71 are spaced apart and parallel to each other and form opposite inner walls of the box forming channel B. Each folding plate such as 71, includes two elements 72 and 73 each of said elements being slidably and adjustably mounted in a rearwardly extending slot such as 200, 201 in a frame piece such as 305 or 304. Elements 72 and 73 can thus be moved toward or away from each other in the slot 200 and toward or away from the opposite plate 70 by adjusting the transverse position of frame pieces 304 and 305 to enlarge or contract the space between plates 70 and 71 and thus accommodate blanks of various dimensions. Each element such as 72 or 73 is preferably provided with an integral and longitudinally extending shoulder 75 or 775, along its inside edge, positioned to contact the adjacent end panel of a blank and arranged to upfold the same slightly more than the upfold given the notched tab by the remainder of the element. Each element 72 or 73, and its integral shoulder 75 or 775 have an outwardly curved upper portion at 76 or 776 which merges into an elongated straight portion 77 or 777 extending downwardly to the exit 78 of box forming channel B. As shown in Figs. and 6, stack 60 is located directly above channel B, in the rods 61, 62, 63, 64 of magazine C and the end panels 21 and 22 of the lowermost blank 19 in stack 60, are supported by the outwardly curved shoulders such as 75 or 775 of the four elements, such as 72 and 73 of the first pair of folding plates, 70 and 71.

In addition to elements 72 and 73, each folding plate such as 70 and 71 preferably includes a longitudinally extending plow such as 80, 780 located between said elements intermediate of said plate and mounted on a depending arm such as 81, 731 which is slidably and pivotally mounted on a rod 74, 7'74 by a set screw of any well known type. Each plow 80 is positioned below the plane of the curved portions, such as 76, 776 of the first pair of folding plates 70, 71 and in the plane of the second pair of folding plates 90, 91 to guide the adjacent notched tabs of a blank such as 19 into interengagement. Each rod such as 774 is fixed at one end to a block such as 874 slidably adjustable in a rearwardly extending slot 901 in a frame piece such as 304 or 305.

The bottom panel 20 of the lowermost blank such as 19 of stack 60 is thus across the entrance 69 of box forming channel B and its undersurface 43 is in position to be adhesively secured to the reciprocating suction device A, drawn thereby through the channel B and released therefrom beyond the exit 78. As shown in Figs.

7 and 8 the blank 19 has been drawn into channel B by suction device A sufiiciently to cause the shoulders or 775 of plates 70 and 71 to upfold the end panels 21 and 22 along lines 34 and 36 and to cause the curved surfaces '76, 776 of plates 70 and 71 to upfold the notched tabs 25, 26, 27 and 28 along the same lines a slightly lesser amount.

The second pair of folding plates 90 and 91 are also spaced apart and parallel to each other and form the other two opposite inner walls of box forming channel B. Folding plate 90 is located below the plane of the lowest points of the curved portion 76, 776 of plates 70 and 71 and comprises a plurality of elements 92, as shown in Fig. 10 each having an outwardly curved upper surface 93 and a downwardly extending straight surface 94 which extends to the exit 78 of channel B. Each element 92 is slidably and pivotally mounted on a transverse rod 95 which extends between, and is supported at each end in oppositely disposed rearwardly extending slots 96, 97 as indicated in Fig. 5 and 13 in side pieces 304 and 305. The elements 92 can therefore be moved toward and away from each other on rod 95 and rod 95 can be moved toward and away from the opposite plate 91 of the pair in order to accommodate blanks of various dimensions. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the blank 19 has been drawn down through channel B, by suction device A, sufiiciently to cause the elements 92, of folding plate 90, to upfold side panel 23 on fold line 35. It will be noted that each notched tab such as 27 and 28 in extension of 23, having already been upfolded by plates 70, 71 slides up and over the adjacent shoulder, such as 75 of plate 71 and the corresponding shoulder of plate 70 as side panel 23 is upfolded. The shoulders 75 guide each tab into position between the outer surface of its adjacent end panel, such as 21 or 22, and the inner surface of its adjacent plow 80, 780 and the plows 80, 780 hold the tab in this position ready for interlocking with the opposite notched tabs. Plow contacts the forward side of the notch of a tab, such as 23, distorting the notch sides out of alignment to facilitate receiving the opposite tab.

Folding plate 91 is located opposite to plate and, below the plane of the curved portion 93 of the elements 92 thereof. Plate 91 as shown in Fig. 12 comprises a plurality of elements 98, each having an outwardly curved upper surface 99 and a downwardly extending straight surface 100 which extends to the exit 78 of channel B. Each element 98 is slidably and pivotally mounted on a transverse rod 101, parallel to rod 95, which extends between, and is supported at each end in, oppositely disposed rearwardly extending slots 102, 103 as shown in Figs. 5 and 13 in side pieces 304, 305. Plates 70, 71, including plow 80, and plates 90, 91 are thus each made up of elements which can be adjusted by sliding them along a rod or slot to fit blanks with various sizes of panels or tabs or which can be pivoted or slid out of the way if not necessary for a particular blank. Similarly the cross sectional area of channel B can be expanded or contracted by moving the plate holding rods and 101 toward or away from each other and moving side pieces 304 and 305 toward or away from each other. As shown in Figs. 11 and 12 the blank 19 has been drawn down through channel B by suction device A, sufficiently to cause the curved surfaces 99 of elements 98 of plate 91 to upfold side panel 24 on fold line 37. The already upfolded notched tabs 25 and 26 are guided by shoulders 7'75 of plate 71 and the corresponding shoulder of plate 70 into position between the adjacent end panels 21 or 22 and the adjacent plow 80 or 780 and into engagement with the notched tabs such as 27 and 28. It will be obvious that the downwardly depending straight surfaces of plates 70, 71, 90, 91 cause the end and side panels of blank 19 to be perpendicular to the bottom 20 and that plates 90, 91, plus plows 80, 780 normally cause the notched tabs to completely interlock across the ends of the set up box.

, Suction device The suction device A, of my machine, includes four or more suction pipes 110, 111, 112 and 113 having suction cups 114, 115, 116 and 117 at their upper ends which may be circular, rectangular or any other desired shape. It should be noted that the suction pipes are spaced from the inner walls of the forming channel B and are not slidably guided thereon or therein, as in the case with a well known type of plunger or piston head. Instead, each pipe can be removably fixed in various positions along slots such as 118 in a pipe holding arm such as 119 and each arm 119 can be removably fixed by bolts in a transverse slot 120 in the portion 322 of a reciprocating carriage 121. Preferably, there are at least four suction cups, each arranged to adhere proximate one of the four corners of the underside 43 of the bottom panel of a blank 19 although more or less of such cups can be used if desired. It is obvious that when the cross sectional area of channel B is expanded or contracted, as explained above, the

space between the suction cups can also be increased or decreased to conform to the dimensions of the particular blanks being used. Carriage 121 has a portion 321 arranged to reciprocate in tracks or guides122 and 123 attached to one side of frame 300 and a portion 322 extending to the centre of the frame below channel B and containing slots 120 for arms 119. Carriage 121 is reciprocated by means of levers 124, 125, 126 and 127 connected by reducing belts and pulleys at 128, 129, 130, 131 and 132 to a power pulley 134 on an electric motor 135. Suction is provided by a motor 136 and an air pump 137, the suction system having a tank 138, a control valve 139, an air gauge 140 and flexible tubes 141 and 142 to the suction pipes 110, 111, 112 and 113, all in a well known manner. Control valve 139, is of a rotary type and is revolved by shaft 641, upon which pulley 128 is mounted, thus synchronizing its opening and closing with the reciprocation of carriage 121. Near the-top of the stroke of carriage 121, valve 139 exhausts air from the suction cups 114, 115, 116 and 117 so that they will strongly adhere to the undersurface 43 of the lowermost panel such as 19 in the stack 60 and maintains the suction grip until the carriage 121 has moved the suction cups down to the vicinity of chute 150, at which point valve 139 releases the suction. in passing downward through forming channel B, the suction gripped blank is folded into a set up box with interlocked end tabs whereupon the box is released and the suction pipes and grips are returned upwardly through the channel B to grip the next lowermost blank, by the rapidly reciprocating carriage 121.

Discharge mechanism I provide an adjustable inclined chute 150 in discharge mechanism D located well below the exit 78 of forming channel B, the chute being formed of spaced side walls and spaced bottom strips thus providing openings therein for the passage and for the area Wise adjustment, of the arms 119. Chute 1'50 leads to a conveyor 151 formed of endless belts spaced apart and transversely adjustable in a well known manner. Each box blank 19, after having been set up into a box in forming channel B is released by the suction cups such as 114, 115, 116 and 117 after emerging fromthe exit 78 of channel B. Near the release point I also provide a leaf spring 152, preferably mounted at one end 153 on the rod 101 which supports folding plate 91, so that the spring will advance or retract if plate 91 is advanced or retracted. The free end 154 of spring 152 depends downwardly toward the centre of the rear portion of chute 150. The release of the suction on bottom panel 20 is so controlled by valve 139 that it occurs after the set up box has made substantial contact with spring 152 and has flexed the end 154 of the spring rearwardly as the box travels downwardly. Upon release of suction, therefore the end 154 of the spring 152 is arranged to flex forwardly sliding the set up box off the suction grips and into the inclined chute 150. The chute is supported on frame 300 by adjusting bolts such as 155 shown in Fig. 1, and can be moved rearwardly or forwardly thereby to position it to receive boxes of various dimensions. The conveyor 151, is provided with belts 156 carried on idler pulleys 157, at the front of, and preferably outside of, the frame 300 and on pulleys 158 on a shaft 161 powered from shaft 641 by a belt or chain such as 160. As best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 15 a pair of oppositely disposed levers 162 are also provided, each pivoted on shaft 161 and each simultaneously raised and lowered by a cam 163 on shaft 641, the lever having upstanding pins 164 in the path of the boxes carried on the belts 156. The pins 164 may be arranged to rise between the belts 156, or as shown on each side thereof, to stop the box traveling therealong, square it up into proper alignment transversely of the conveyor and to then retract below the plane of the upper surface of belts 156 to permit the squared up box to continue on the belts 156. A pair of rollers 170, 171 each mounted on an arm such as 172, 173 pivoted to the front of frame 300 at 174, 175 are oppositely disposed above conveyor 151 just beyond the pins 164 and in line with the path of the notched tabs of the set up boxes carried on the conveyor. After being squared up by pins 164 the set up box passes beneath the rollers 1'70, 171 which rise up and ride along the top edges of each pair of interengaged notched tabs forcing them by the weight of the rollers into complete engagement if not already interengaged. After passing beneath rollers 170, 171 the set up boxes are delivered from the end of conveyor 151 into the next machine, not shown, for packing or such other purposes as may be desired.

The adjustable features of my machine explained above may be used to adapt the same to blanks of considerable variation in dimensions. In addition I can change the length of stroke of the carriage 121 for example from twenty inches to fifteen inches by suitable linkage with shaft 641 and can substitute for the higher bracket shown at 301 in Fig. 1, a lower bracket such as shown in dotted lines at 401, to accommodate the shorter stroke of th carriage.

Operation In the operation of my machine, the magazine C, forming channel B, suction device A and discharge mechanism D are first adjusted into position to accommodate the particular blanks to be made up into set up boxes. Each blank is preferably scored under its crease lines to facilitate bending. A stack of such blanks, such as 60, is then placed in the upstanding blank guides 61, 62, 63 and 64 with the end panels of the lowermost blank supported on the four shoulders 75, 775 of the first pair of folding plates 70, 71. With each reciprocation of carriage 121, suction grips such as 114, 115, 116 and 117 are caused to adhere to the four corners of the underside 43 of the bottom panel 20 of each blank such as 19 and draw the blank downwardly through the forming channel B. The first pair of folding plates 70, 71 then upfolds the end panels 21'and 22 and the notched tabs 25, 26, 27 and 28. The second pair of folding plates 90, 91 preferably assisted by the plows 80, 780 of the first pair, then upfold the side panels 23 and 24 and interlock tab 25 with tab 27 and tab 26 with tab 28 thus forming a set up box. If there is a cover such as 29 it will merely trail behind the side panel to which it is attached without interfering with the setting up of the box. Further downward motion of the carriage 121 then causes the set up box to emerge from exit 78 of forming channel B, causes valve 139 to release the suction grip of cups 114, 115, 116 and 117 and causes spring 152 to slide the set up box onto the inclined chute 150. The set up box travels by gravity down chute 150 onto conveyor 151, where it is squared up by pins 164, its tabs are positively interengaged by rollers 170, 171 and it is delivered from the end of the conveyor preferably located outside the machine. After depositing the set up box in chute 150, the carriage 121 with its suction cups 114, 115, 116 and 117 returns upwardly in tracks or guides 122, 123 whereupon the suction cups again adhere to the underside of the bottom panel of the then lowermost blank in stack 60 such as 619 and repeat the cycle above described.

It should be noted that my machine and method eliminate the step of providing a closely fitting form in a forming channel, such close fitting forms having been a source of considerable expense in the industry. My new method of setting up a box by drawing the lower blank of a stack directly through a forming channel onto a conveyor permits the elimination of blank feeding mechanism and expensive box forming mechanism and permits accommodation of various sizes of blanks by adjustment of the location of the machine parts themselves rather than by substituting new and different machine parts.

The particular embodiment of my invention shown and described herein is intended to be of an illustrative character and various modifications in construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims or the principles of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a machine for forming a set up box from a unitary, flat, rectangular blank of bendable material, each blank having slits and fold lines which define a bottom panel, opposite end panels, opposite side panels and notched tabs in extension of the side panels the combination of an upwardly extending forming channel of rectangular cross section including two pairs of longitudinally-extending oppositely disposed forming plates adapted to act successively in upfolding the end panels and tabs, upfolding first one side panel and then the other and interlocking the notched tabs; a plurality of blank guides, in upward extension of the entrance of said forming channel, adapted to guide a stack of blanks to fall into position for separating at said entrance; discharge mechanism located below the exit of said forming channel adapted to receive by gravity a setup box and carry it out of said machine and a movable suction device mounted for independent reciprocation to and fro within said forming channel and adapted to successively adhere to the lowermost blank of the stack, draw said blank down through said forming channel and release the set up box onto said discharge mechanism.

2. In a machine for setting up a box from a fiat unitary rectangular blank of scored bendable material said blank having a bottom panel, four wall panels and interlocking tabs the combination of a forming channel of substantially rectangular cross section, the inner walls of said channel comprising folding plates adapted to successively upfold the wall panels and interlock the tabs of said blank into a complete set up box, means, at the entrance of said channel, for supporting portions of the undersurface of said blank, on opposite sides of the bottom panel, and positioning the bottom panel across the said entrance, means at the exit of said channel, for receiving a set up box and conveying it out of the machine and a suction device, mounted to reciprocate through said channel and operable against the undersurface of the bottom panel of said blank to draw it through the box forming channel and deliver the same to receiving and conveying means.

3. In a machine for forming a set up box from an unitary fiat, rectangular blank of bendable material, said blank having slits and fold lines which define a bottom panel, opposite end panels, opposite side panels and notched tabs in extension of each side panel the combination of a first pair of spaced, parallel, folding plates, each plate having outwardly curved upper portions adapted to support the end panels and tabs of said flat blank and having elongated, downwardly extending portions, said portions being adapted to fold the end panels and tabs of the blank toward each other and to retain the same in folded position during the passage of the blank between said plates; a second pair of spaced parallel folding plates positioned below the plane of the curved portion, and transverse to, said first pair, one of said second pair having a curved portion adapted to fold one side panel of the blank and to place its folded notched tabs in position for interlocking and the second of said pair having a curved portion, below the plane of the curved portion of the other of said second pair, adapted to fold the other side panel of the blank and to interlock its folded notched tabs with the tabs of the opposite side panel, and a suction head mounted independently of said plates, to reciprocate to and fro therebetween and adapted to pneumatically adhere to the under surface of the bottom panel of the blank and draw it forcibly and successively between and past said pairs of plates.

4. The machine defined in claim 3 plus a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending integral shoulders each projecting inwardly intermediate of each folding plate of said pair and adapted to upfold each end panel of the blank prior to, and in a greater amount than the notched tabs adjacent said end panel.

5. The machine defined in claim 3 plus a longitudinally extending plow projecting inwardly proximate the longitudinal centre line of each folding plate of said first pair but in the plane of the curved portion of said second pair and adapted to guide the notched tabs of said blank into interlocked position.

6. The machine defined in claim 3 in which each of said folding plates is adjustably mounted for movement toward and away from the other of its pair and the suction cups of said suction head are adjustably mounted for movement toward and away from each other.

7. The machine defined in claim 3 plus box discharge mechanism below the lower end of said folding plates and means associated with said discharge mechanism for positively interlocking said notched tabs, said means comprising a pair of spaced, parallel rollers oppositely disposed on each side of said discharge mechanism and arranged for rolling contact along the upper edges of the notched tabs of each box to push said tabs downwardly into interlocked position.

8. In a machine for setting up flat rectangular box blanks each blank having a bottom panel, opposite end panels opposite side panels and notched tabs arranged to interlock across the ends of the set up box the combination of a magazine for supporting a stack of said fiat rectangular blanks; a box forming channel, in downward extension of said magazine adapted to set up a box from each blank, and a suction device, mounted for reciprocation in said channel, independent of the walls thereof; said suction device being adapted to successively adhere to the four corners of the under side of the bottom panel of each lowermost blank in said stack, draw said bottom panel in a straight line through said forming channel and release the box, set up from said blank during the passage thereof through said channel, beyond the exit of said channel.

9. The machine defined in claim 3 plus means for adjusting the cross sectional area of said magazine, said forming channel and said suction device to accommodate blanks of various dimensions.

10. A machine for setting up boxes from flat, unitary, rectangular blanks of bendable material, each blank having integral tabs adapted to interengage across the end of the box, said machine comprising means for supporting a blank; wall-forming means, in advance of said supporting means, for upturning the side and end walls of each blank, tab guiding means, associated with said wall forming means, for guiding and partially distorting the tabs of each blank into engagement with each other and pneumatic means, operable against the under side of the blank for drawing said blank past said wall-forming means and said tab guiding means.

11. The machine defined in claim 10 plus means for positively interlocking each pair of interengaged tabs on each box located proximate the exit of said wall forming means.

12. The machine defined in claim 10 plus a weighted me i-1 element, proximate the exit of said wall forming means, adapted to contact each pair of interengaged tabs of said blank to force them into full interengagement.

13. The method of forming set-up boxes, each box having a substantially rectangular bottom panel, two pairs of opposite side wall panels foldably connected to said bottom panel and four notched locking tabs foldably connected to one pair of opposite side panels, from a stack of flat box blanks which comprises the steps of individually and successively exerting a pulling force on the undersurface of the bottom panel of each endmost blank in said stack to cause said bottom panel to advance in a path away from said stack and, during each exertion of said pulling force, opposing first the advance of the untabbed pair of opposite side wall panels and all of said locking tabs of said endmost blank to upfold said pair of wall panels and infold said tabs and then opposing the advance of the tabbed pair of opposite side Wall panels of said endmost blank to upfold said pair of wall panels and interengage said tabs.

14. A machine for setting up a box from a fiat box blank of bendable material, said machine comprising means for supporting said flat box blank with the undersurface of its bottom panel facing the entrance of a box forming channel; a box forming channel of rectangular cross section in advance of said supporting means, each of the four walls of said channel having a folding plate for cooperating with the other three plates in forming a complete box from said blank and suction means mounted to reciprocate longitudinally of said channel, from said supporting means to beyond the exit of said channel, for adhering to the undersurface of the bottom panel of said blank, pulling said bottom panel past the folding plates in said channel to form a complete box and pulling said box beyond the exit of said channel.

15. The method described in claim 13 plus the steps of opposing the advance of the bottom panel of said blank, during each exertion of said pulling force and subsequent to said upfolding and tab interengaging steps, then releasing said pulling force and then exerting sidewise pressure on the box formed from said blank to remove the same from the path of the next succeeding blank.

16. The method described in claim 15 plus the final steps, after the exerting of said sidewise pressure, of advancing each successive box parallel to the plane of its bottom panel while exerting pressure perpendicular to said bottom panel on the upper edges of said interlocked tabs to positively and fully interengage said tabs with each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 987,928 Taylor Mar. 28, 1911 1,906,283 Schulz May 2, 1933 2,249,859 Shearer July 22, 1941 2,399,934 Monroe May 7, 1946 2,516,624 Guyer July 25, 1950 2,580,189 Pagendarm Dec. 25, 1951. 2,603,047 Malhiot July 15, 1952 

